Transfers from Riga Airport to City Centre

Start your Riga visit with a tour of the Blackheads House, house of the Blackheads guild of merchants. Originally constructed in the 1300s, it was demolished in the 1940s by the Soviets. However, the building has been faithfully reconstructed and is an interesting place to learn about the city’s heritage.

As you walk around the city, one of the most arresting sights will be the Freedom Monument, located between Old and Central Riga, which honours the soldiers who died during the war of independence. Just across the road from this is the Nativity Cathedral, a remarkable Orthodox church with gold domes and filled with gold decoration and religious icons. You can get the best views of the church, and the rest of the city, from the Skyline Bar in the nearby Radisson Blue Hotel. While the bar itself is nothing special, the drinks aren’t a bad price and entry is free, making it a great way to see the city from above.

You’ll find plenty of shopping opportunities in the city, such as in Riga’s Central Market, a colossal indoor market where you’ll find stalls selling huge fish, sausages, Latvian cheeses, beer, sweet pastries, honey, crafts and everything else you could imagine. If you’re looking for something to take home with you, buy a pair of beautiful handmade woolen mittens, all of which are knitted with traditional Latvian folk patterns.

If you’re going to visit just one museum in Riga, then make it the KGB Museum. This fascinating museum, housed in the former KGB headquarters, will reveal a lot about the turbulent history of the country and the people of Riga. Expect a tour of the former cells, interrogation rooms and exercise yard. You can also find out more at the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia and the Riga Ghetto & Latvian Holocaust Museum.

Top attractions

Riga’s top appeal is its charming architecture, a mix of elegant art nouveau and gothic. Depending on where you walk, you’ll find colourful painted houses, unusual statues and traditional wooden houses. If you have the time, pay a visit to the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum. Just outside the city, on the shores of Lake Jugla, this modern recreation of traditional Latvian life is a living museum of farmhouses, windmills, churches and homes.

If you have a sweet tooth you’ll be pleased to hear that Riga is known for its chocolate. In fact, you can pay a visit to the Laima Chocolate Museum where you can find out about the chocolate making process before sampling some of the goods in the shop next door.

Finally, if you’re visiting in the summer months, you can enjoy a short day trip to nearby Jurmala beach. A popular seaside destinations with Latvians, visitors will find soft sand, pine trees, shops and restaurants.

Best restaurants

At the very top of our recommendations for places to eat out in Riga is Folksklub Ala Pagrabs. This beer hall may not offer fine dining, and it definitely attracts tourists, but it’s also popular with locals and is a wonderfully welcoming spot where you can enjoy traditional Latvian cooking, folk music and dancing, and taste some of the fantastic Latvian beers.

For an even cheaper night out, grab a bite to eat at a Lido. This chain of restaurants can be found in various locations around Riga and does a typical set menu of hearty meat dishes. For a more highbrow meal out, discover some fine dining at Uncle Vanya, a Russian restaurant. Vegetarians will be pleased to find an alternative to meat-heavy Latvian dishes at Fat Pumpkin, where tasty vegan and vegetarian dishes can be enjoyed with smoothies or a dessert.